Abbey-Roads2

A year ago I began blogging on my old site, Rome-ing Catholics.  Shortly afterwards, this priest began commenting on some of my posts.  The comments were profound, very spiritual, and often theological reflections on my posts.  For myself, my purpose in blogging was to express spiritual insights I had gained throughout the years, along with expositions of saint’s lives and some of their writings I found edifying - geared towards sinners.  Things most people wouldn’t have access to.  This priest turned out to be a kindred soul.

I was almost certain he was a sort of Archangel Raphael, who accompanied Tobias on his pilgrimage.  He became such an inspiration for me.  Eventually he revealed himself to me, and we discovered we had met, years ago, in Newport, Rhode Island, when he was a very young monk, and I was sort of a gyrovague.  Our meeting and exchange is as vivid in my mind today as it happened then.  (He was standing under a tree, holding a…)

At the time, I shied away from him because I was embarrassed of my lack of status - even though religious wanted to speak to a real ‘pilgrim’.  Yeah, really.  I was living as a pilgrim, and I was embarrassed to be in the presence of one so spiritual, living in stability.  (Somehow persons of prayer were intrigued by a young man striving to live a pilgrim’s life, and I was ashamed, because I never felt I lived it fervently enough.  Gosh, we are stupid when we are young!)

Anyway, I was delighted to meet him once again on the Internet, marveling how the Lord works.  Although he is my junior in age, I realized he is my father, while we are brothers and friends in the Lord.  We also have many mutual friends, yet never ‘knew’ each other.  Nevertheless, never underestimate the value of spiritual friendship that the Lord designs, nor the preparatory period it takes for its fruition.

I often recall praying over the years for Our Lord to send me a Raphael, a friend who understands and accepts me, one whom I understand and can share the journey with.  This friend re-emerged, he had remained a monk, and returned unexpectedly to comment on my blog.  As we renewed our friendship - rather continued it - I encouraged him to create his own blog. 

At first, I believe he thought the idea rather silly.  Finally, he consented.  He is much more learned than myself, yet says everything I would like to say - if indeed I had his education and spiritual charism.  He writes about saints and holy people, so often the same people I would write about.  Yet he has the charism of priest-monk, and a marvelous talent, as well as a spirituality tried in the fire of suffering, sustained by authentic prayer and devotion.

Now he posts such incredible spirituality, from much the same angle I would have done - yet with greater brilliance - and I am at a loss for words.  (I am cut glass, he is cut diamond!)  For instance, today he posted on St. Claude de la Colombiere, the kind apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  How can I post on him now?  My friend has posted what I would have posted - yet with that brilliance, unreachable by myself.

Last year I posted the same prayer of confidence by St. Claude that he posts today.  I once asked it be printed in a book of prayers my company was printing a few years back.  It wasn’t printed.  I was going to reprint it again today, but my dear friend printed it on his blog instead.  (See, we are twins in spirit!)

So go to my friend’s blog and read it, let it penetrate your soul.  Have great confidence in the Lord, He cares for sinners (me) and saints (my friend) - so long as we have confidence in His mercy.  Go here for the prayer.

Visit my dearest friend, Don Marco, priest-monk of Vultus Christi - and don’t forget to vote for him in the Catholic Blog Awards - he is God’s gift to the Internet.  He’s so going to sweep - and he better thank me is his acceptance speech - although he’ll have that black and white habit on - it’s not going to look that great on the red carpet!  Unless he has gold trim, ala Fra Angelico. 

(That’s why I couldn’t be a monk or a priest, I don’t like the clothes.  My friend David will attest to this; when we were in the monastery together, I once asked him in the boot-room, “Do I look like I have a pot-belly - like Fr. Xavier - in the habit?”   Dork-o-rama!  I was anorexic - I weighed about 110lbs - and I was 6′ tall!  I almost fainted in choir every day!  Doubling over in pain in my cell from hunger!  For me, cassocks and habits are so not fashionable.  Another smiley face here - :)) 

Monks, priests and nuns - wear your habits - they edify!  (Mark was in his habit when I met him so many years before.)  So don’t listen to me!